Systems for carrying a part along a manufacturing line are currently known and used, and is generally shown in FIG. 1. Such systems may include a rail having a carriage that is slidably mounted to the rail. In some instances, the rail includes a curved portion to facilitate the movement of a part from one machine to another. Curved portions may also maximize the floor space of the manufacturing plant.
The carriage may carry a relatively wide part, meaning that the edges of the part extend substantially beyond the rail. Thus in instances where the carriage is traveling along a curved portion of the rail, the inertia of the part carries the part forward yet the carriage is being turned thus causing instability along the carriage.
Some systems include links mechanically coupled to the rail. The links are pivotably coupled to each other and are driven along the rail by a motor. These links may have kingpin and bushings which mechanically and pivotally couple the links to each other. The carriage turns and may torque the kingpin-bushing as the carriage manipulates a curved portion. This causes premature wear and tear of the bushing and kingpins thus destabilizing the stability of the rail system. Accordingly, it remains desirable to have a system configured to stabilize the carriage along a curved portion of the rail system so as to prevent premature wear and tear of the bushing kingpin couplings.